


Heart Throbs and Apple Seeds

by retrinazambrano



Series: Apples [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-12
Updated: 2017-03-12
Packaged: 2020-04-06 13:25:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19063594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retrinazambrano/pseuds/retrinazambrano
Summary: Robin seeks solace in the most unusual of places on the eve of the anniversary of Marian's death.





	Heart Throbs and Apple Seeds

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the decidedly more upbeat song by the bird and the bee.

It's approaching fast. The one-year anniversary of his beloved Marian's death and, as much as he loathed to talk about it, to even really think of the fact she'd gone, he knows he has to mark the occasion somehow.

Robin prefers to think of the mother of his incredibly beautiful child, with his soft curls and toothy smile, dark eyes that were all his mother's, prefers to think of her with light in her eyes, an unashamed lust for life, his Marian, his childhood sweetheart, her soft skin and her understanding. He would rather think on these things than the terrible, sudden way she died.

There are days when Roland asks where his mommy is, why it really is that all the other kids at school have their mommies and daddies, whereas he only has him. It tears at Robin's very soul, his heart, already fractured from the loss of his best friend, but he is quick to assure his son that his mother is looking out for him in spirit, even if she isn't around in body. Every night, they write a couple of words about Roland's day on a slip of paper, then put it in a box, hoping that Marian can read the contents from her place in a realm beyond their own. It's a great source of comfort for both of them.

Now, though, with that dreaded date looming ever nearer, Robin is forced to think of how to mark the occasion (not that he thinks it's an occasion he enjoys to mark). He goes to lay flowers at her grave every week and this week, as he does so, he knows he wants to do something a little different.

Robin heads into town, scouring the stores with his son's hand in his, waiting for an idea to just jump out at him, but nothing does. No eureka! moment, no epiphany, just a blank space. He sighs, gets himself and Roland some lunch and, even after consulting with his son for his ideas, there's still nothing that they can think of. He resigns himself to the biggest, most colourful blooms he can muster - his Marian was always a fan of colour - and begins their drive home.

His mind is racing as he drives, concentrating the best he can on the road whilst his brain goes at a thousand miles a minute. The same strip of road, the same greenery, sights… it's all the damn same. Nothing is giving him any inspiration...

... until he sees the familiar sign for the nursery a couple of kilometres off the highway exit. He's never visited this place but he's oddly drawn to it today and well, what will an extra half hour out of his day do? Roland remarks that this isn't the way home and Robin tells him they're going to take a little adventure.

The nursery building is in a clearing near the forest and the scent always takes him back to the days he and Marian spent as teenagers, camping with their friends, shooting arrows into makeshift targets on trees. Turns out Marian was getting pretty good at actually hitting her mark, something she attributed to her boyfriend's teaching skills. He's sure it's that remark that led him into teaching.

He parks up, letting Roland out the back, telling him to be careful. He takes his hand again as they walk into the store, the fresh scent of the open air, leaves, mixed with something homely assaulting his senses. He doesn't even know what he's looking for, but something tells him he'll find it right here. Robin and Roland wander the aisles of plants, tools and the like and when Roland asks him what they're looking for, he says he doesn't know, they should just… look.

"Is there anything you're looking for?" Robin stops at the sound of deep voice, distinctive in this corner of town, turning to be greeted by a striking brunette, long hair swept back off her face, with kind eyes and a friendly pout, wiping her soil-encrusted hands upon her red apron. He thinks he might be staring - in fact, he knows he's staring, so he shakes his head and gives the young lady a smile.

"Nothing in particular," he manages and she gives him a smile.

"Well, if you change your mind, I'm just gonna be by the till, okay? Take your time." She turns then and heads in the direction of the desk, moving behind it, lying a folder on top before leafing through it. He's staring at her again and the only thing that tears his eyes away is the tug on his jacket from his son.

"Stop staring at the lady, Papa. It's rude," he says with mock sternness. Robin chuckles at his son - raising him well, it seems - and looks away.

"Well, let's go look at some of the blooms outside, huh?"

Roland follows his father willingly, gasping and oohing at all the colours before him, tempted to touch but knowing that he shouldn't. Instead, he leans forward and breathes in the scent of one particularly pretty chrysanthemum and the pollen causes him to sneeze, not once, not twice, but four times in a row, prompting Robin to turn and crouch down to his son's level. Alas, he is without tissues, frantically shoving his hands in his pockets for a napkin, something to help curb his son's runny nose.

"Hey, can I help?" Robin turns and the girl from the desk is standing before him. "I heard a couple of massive sneezes and I thought, it's got to be from a big, strong guy like you!" She grins down at Roland, whose cheeks pinken as he gives her a coy smile. "Here, a pack of tissues. They're the super soft ones too so your nose won't get all sore." She hands one to Roland, before handing the rest of the pack to Robin.

"That's very kind of you…?" He trails off, searching for a name badge, which also makes it look like he's staring at her chest.

"Regina. I'm Regina," she says, holding her hand out to his, as they shake.

"I'm Robin, and this is Roland."

Regina smiles and crouches down to the little boy who is now all but peeking out from behind his Dad's legs. "Well it's very nice to meet you both. I had a cold too not long ago, sneezing isn't too much fun, huh?" She asks Roland and he shakes his head vehemently. She pulls herself back up to her feet and turns her attention to Robin. "Don't mind me saying, but I have a feeling you don't know exactly what you're looking for."

Was he that obvious? Something had drawn him here in the first place, but what he's actually looking for… hmm. He just shrugs at that with a sigh.

"I guess I don't." He takes a deep breath - to explain exactly why he's here will mean having to talk about it.

Regina's head tilts at that, a sympathetic smile as she reaches out and squeezes his bicep. It's not a move he was anticipating, but welcome all the same. "Well, how about I walk around the store with you? You never know, something might just pop up."

He nods at that, grateful for the extra company and, when Roland hears that the nice shop assistant will be helping them for a little longer, his smile widens. They begin wandering the aisles, making small talk, Roland joining in, telling Regina how his birthday was just the other week and that he's four now, that his papa threw him a party with a big chocolate cake. Regina coos over the cute kid, telling him that she wished she could have attended. Roland tells her he wishes the same thing.

Ten minutes of chatter and the occasional bout of laughter later and neither adult has a clue what they're looking for. In fact, Robin feels terrible that he's actually forgotten they were looking for anything, taking up Regina's time as well as the act of not looking for anything to commemorate his dead wife and, in a quest to calm his conscience, he announces that he needs to keep looking.

"So," Regina starts carefully, "if you don't mind me asking… who did you lose?"

Robin stares at her, open-mouthed. Roland is too busy looking at garden gnomes to be paying attention to the atmosphere between the two, thank God, and Robin stutters a little before a quiet "how did you know?"

Regina gives him a wistful smile. "You did the same thing I did," she tells him. "A bit of an aimless wander in search of something perfect which seems a little out of reach. Mainly because you don't know what you're looking for." There's a beat, before: "I lost my fiance a couple of years ago. Car accident," she admits and Robin gives her a smile in return, for he can relate.

"Same with my Marian," he tells her in return. "It's been a year and I bring flowers to her every Sunday, but I wanted to do something different this time." For the anniversary he doesn't even want to think about. Her life is for celebrating, but her death certainly isn't.

Regina nods in understanding, a light bulb going off in her head. "Follow me," she says, leading he and Roland to the plants. She scans the shelves, each tiny label until she finds exactly what she's looking for. Carefully, she wraps her hands around the ceramic pot then presents it to him, a smile on her face.

Robin is utterly perplexed; he has no idea what it is. "I, erm…" he starts and her grin widens.

"I know, you have no idea what it is," and he shakes his head. "It's a dwarf apple tree." She turns the plant in her hands as she explains, "no apples yet, but it's blossoming, see?" Robin takes a closer look and, sure enough, there are little pink flowers peeking out through the leaves.

"An apple tree?" He asks and she nods enthusiastically.

"Yes. I didn't know what to do when Daniel died, except work, and then I found myself here and… let's just say I was clearly where I needed to be, as I saw this little tree and I thought… yes." He listens, but Robin is still confused by the suggestion and his face says as much. "See, with care and nurturing, the tree will thrive and bear fruit, right? The apples. You pick the apples, eat and enjoy them with your son, then, in a couple of months or so, more apples. So the cycle continues. You can have this in your wife's name and she'll be with you. Always." She gazes down at the plant with a smile on her face.

"Wow, I never thought… wow," is all that Robin can say in response as she holds out the pot to him, which he gladly takes.

"I bought mine a year after Daniel died, just like you and it's helped, you know? To feel like I'm keeping his memory alive by doing this. More regeneration, less Garden of Eden, you know?" She grins and it's a genuine smile he returns.

"Well, let's ask the true expert here," he says, calling Roland over. "Miss Regina suggests we should get this apple tree and name it after your mommy. What do you think?"

Roland's eyes widen and he looks up at Regina, then his papa, a toothy smile on his face. "I love apples!" he exclaims and nods excitedly before inspecting the plant closer, a frown forming on his face. "But there's no apples."

"Ah no," Regina explains, "but in a couple of months - maybe even a couple of weeks - you'll start to see baby apples, right here," she points at the pink blooms, "then they'll grow and grow until you can pick them off and eat them!" With that, Roland ohhhhs and that little grin is back on his face.

"So, my boy - the apple tree then?" he asks, Roland nodding, heading to the desk for Regina to ring the item through the till. Halfway through the transaction, however, she stops and puts her hand over Robin's, closing his hand with the money still sitting in his palm.

"No," she says, walking round to his side of the desk. "I want you to have this on me. I've been there," her voice a murmur, well aware of Roland's presence, "and finding peace within yourself is priceless, so it just wouldn't be right of me to accept payment. I just hope I've helped you a little."

Robin hasn't felt so grateful to anyone that wasn't his son in a very long time, but this stunning brunette, all long lashes and compassion sparks a little light inside him, one long extinguished and, setting the pot on the desk, he embraces her. He doesn't even think, he's just so grateful to her. Seems she is to him too, for she returns the hug almost straightaway, taking in his scent of pine and detergent, closing her eyes.

It's not long before Roland is joining in the fun, wrapping one arm around Regina's legs, the other around Robin's and, as they all pull apart, Robin thanks her profusely for her generosity and kindness.

She smiles warmly and they part, Regina watching as they head to the exit. "Oh," she calls back and Robin turns, plant securely in hand. "Come back and visit. I want to know how Marian's doing."


End file.
